Picket fence



.March 4, 1958 H. o. WOLFE ETAL PICKET FENCE Filed May 18, 1956 III p T 7LT ,5

l 28 29 L 26 U 54 HUGH 0; WOLFE U v CARL 5 KESSLEI? 23 a 9 INVENTORS 36 36 23 gjjfipza, 5- B Y j/ 22 FIG. /0.

ATTORNEY United States Patent '1 PICKET FENCE Hugh 0. Wolfe and Carl E. Kessler, Mineral Wells, Tex.; said Wolfe assignor to said Kessler Application May 18, 1956, Serial No. 585,857 6 Claims. (Cl. 256-22) This invention relates to picket fences or similar structures wherein narrow members are arranged in parallel relation to define a plane.

Generally, the invention is directed to an arrangement of parallel slats or pickets of spring sheet metal or other fiat resilient material having notches in their side edges for engaging corresponding recesses in supported transverse rails. This application is a continuation in part of our copending application, Serial No. 430,254, filed May 17, 1954, now abandoned.

An object of the invention is to provide a picket assembly wherein the pickets may be expeditiously locked and firmly secured in their supporting rails without the use of separate fastening means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fence incorporating the described picket assembly and which fence is capable of being readily erected on either level or sloping terrain.

A further object of the invention is to provide a picket fence wherein the pickets are of deformable sheet material and wherein pickets of uniform length are readily located to define straight lines along the upper and lower edges thereof even though the distance between the parallel supporting rails may vary, as between rails mounted at a given distance on vertical posts where the rails are over level terrain and where the rails are secured at the same distance on vertical posts but over sloped terrain.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a fence of the described character, a rail construction which does not require bolt receiving holes for attaching the rails to fence posts.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a picket fence assembly capable of being manufactured economically, and one which may be readily assembled by unskilled workmen.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary length of fence constructed and assembled in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the fragmentary length of fence shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary front elevation on an enlarged scale of the upper end of a preferred picket construction.

Figure 4 is a top plan view on a further enlarged scale showing a picket in accordance with the invention secured to a transverse supporting rail.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, but showing the picket partially installed.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the picket and rail construction illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, and showing a simple hand tool which may be employed for installing the pickets.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary elevation of the upper portion of a length of fence, as shown in Figure 1, but wherein the rail is sloped as occurs when the fence is installed on sloping terrain.

Patented Mar. 4, 1958 Figure 8 is a top plan view similar to Figures 4 and 5, but showing a modified form of the invention wherein the edges of the pickets are installed in overlapping rela tion.

Figure 9 is a top plan view of a further modified form of the invention wherein the edges of the pickets are inwardly directed relative to the centers thereof, and

Figure 10 is a top plan view showing a staggered'arrangement of pickets on opposite sides of a rail so as to provide a ventilated slat or picket arrangement, yet one which prevents a direct line of sight therethrough.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary front elevation of a picket as illustrated in Figure 3, but showing an arrangement of notches in opposite edges of the picket.

In the exemplary form of the invention shown in Figures 1 through 7, posts 11 of angle stock are anchored in the ground with front sides 12 thereof parallel with the direction of the fence to be erected and with the remaining sides 13 rearwardly projected. The edges 14 of the rearwardly projecting sides 13 may be downwardly and outwardly sloped, as at 14, to reduce the weight and cost and yet provide the necessary strength against bending.

The posts 11 are provided with upper, lower and intermediate horizontal rails 15 which are preferably made of angle stock and are arranged so that corresponding upper sides or flanges 16 project forwardly and with their remaining sides 17 vertical and against the forwardly facing sides 12 of the posts. The rails 15 are detachably secured in place by means of relatively flat U-shaped,

the vertical sides 17 of the rails 15 may rest on the bolts 19 for initially locating and positioning the rails relative to the earths surface. When required, the clamps 18 may be adjusted to permit Variations'in the locations of the rails 15 on the posts. I

Spaced pairs of slotted recesses in the extending edges of the upper rail sides 16, and which pairs of recesses are spaced to receive the side edges 22 of the pickets 23. The pickets 23 are generally arcuate in transverse section, but it is to be understood that the term arcuately as used herein includes transverse sections wherein the longitudinal center portion of the picket may be flat, corrugated or of some other geometrical shape wherein the edges thereof define angles at least generally conforming with the angles of the diverging pairs of slotted recesses 21 at the time the pickets are installed. The distance across each picket, side edge 22 to side edge 22, is normally greater than the distance between the remote ends of the corresponding pair of slotted recesses 21 in which the picket is received. Each picket 23 is provided with a notch 24 in at least one side edge 22 thereof for interfitting with an inner end of a slotted recess 21 in a projecting rail side 16. However, within the spirit of the invention, notches 24 may be provided in opposite sides of the picket 23, as shown in Figure 11. The notches 24 are uniformly located in pickets 23 of the same length and whereby the notches serve as locaters for assembling all pickets the same height. The interlocking of the notches 24 in the recesses 21 also prevents the pickets 23 from sliding either up or down. As shown in Figure 7, the rails 15 may be sloped, yet the single notches 24 in the sides of the picket 23, interfitting in the rail recesses 21, align the tops and bottoms of the pickets in straight lines.

' The form of the invention shown in Figure 8 is directed to an arrangement wherein the picket edges are overare divergingly disposed I'appingJBut wHich tures of the invention;

' j slg tte'd 'recess'ZTin'the; 7 p 7 1 remaining edge .29 of each picket'25 "received'in a 7 in the forward edge ot a j or 'thepiclrets "25.; d W V first' 'form of the invention,

a sheet 27'and so.

7 trates-an arrangement of l V pickets understood that other suitable rheans may-be "compressing the pickets23 V r of theinvention; Itiis pointed out that whenithe pieketsa 25 having arcuate edges 26 along one' sides'thereqf re 27;"that sidej .ofithepicket' is installed first and the remaining side 29 1's positioned in theopposite slot 30fafter1the'curved edgeis'inplace.

pickets engage the converging pairs as 24, may be provided in all a The pickets 25 have ?the' sarnegeneral transverse configuration as f if 2,525,537

the described pickets s e r d=m r at nshaw? b t ns a p tobe' received within an arcuate '5 I straight or substantiallywstraight slotted recess 30,- iilso' l cesse's 27 and companion recesses 3ll are' generally disposed in diverging relation t'o'r receiving edges'zo and,29--' -As described in connection fwithithe the pickets {'25 are of spring j a material vandiare normally lwiderfthan' the distance across the outer limits -of the respective pairs of recesses V V The form of pickets 23 similar; to the one shown and described in connection with Figures 1 through 7; The pickets 23 are arranged in staggered relation, on opposite sides of 'rails 35,; and the pairsof-dive' rging the" invention Figure 1 illnsthe railj28t "'Pairs-iof arcuate re r'ality of--longitudinally 'spacedjverticalposts, upper-and}: lower rails removably' connected td'theiposts; said 'rails; r p having rgeneral y;l qrizentatiflan e projecting laterallyk outwardly therefrom and having free edges,psaidflanges j 5 dinally spac ed'pairs'of slot 7 g thereof Ifor" engagingnieir '7 operative slotted recesses 21;27-{30 or 36; a'slthe may be. Also, in all forms of the invention the'sprin'gr 7 action of the picketsis employed for holding and secur-j a 2' ing the same in place.

The invention is not 7 structions herein shown and gles crjbed,but maybe-varied] 'in various ways within the'scope of the appendedclaims'. -What is claimedis z i 7 V 1. A knock-down fence tii re cor'nprising a plui being provided with'lengit V 7 opening through saidfreeedges; and aplurality of vere V tically disposed pickets of generally'channel form, said picketspbeing of spring sheet material having their 13- a poised free" idesjtrictionally :engaged within said slots slotted recesses thereintcorrespond' with thewpre'viously described slotted recesses 21. one side" of the rails" 35 overlap the edges;22 of the: 23" on the other 'side, thu's providing a-ventilated surface which prevents a line/of sight therethrfongh. w

'I'h'e'picket edges-22 on V As shown in Figure 6, a simple handtool 37 maybe" used for installing and locking the pickets' 23 2mm 25 in pairs of slotted recesses 21in V intherails 28. "The tool shown includes pivotedhanflhe'ends 10f 'thejaw's' are;

inwardly directed to provide hooks 40 forengagi ene a his: b ibe l dies 38 and integral jaws 39.:

compressing the edges 220i the pickets 23g r s l e li' vr within thefscop'e. and'spirit installed in the arcuate recesses shown" in Fi IS section,

theslotted recesses '21and "0 r a 3 in maseerse V edgesfialimay V of recesses '31. NotQhesgsheh forms oithe pickets? and 1 (thereof. i 1

V 7 claim 1 and where of slots in said flanges re eonvergingly 3. A ZVfence structu re-as defined in said spaced pairs ,di'sposid irelative to and along, corresponding Lied'ges.

thereof. i s a a 4. In ajence structure as'defined'in claim- 1; at least?" edgefof ea to engagea't leastone 5;; 1 fencestn cture asdefinedin claini l a d-w clamps are mounted on said sasanaaie Ma an-"gage "said railsf'f' a 1;; a 1

1 A a e: r r are s fis m 3 2: i lwhrc corresponding islets said flanges are preg me-sh e n w ere n qrr endin ls d s r ls are ate and are received said memmms.

V n rerencesgizea-i me fi e 'f thi-s patent a a UNIiEliSTATES PATENTS? 2,146,1231maa 1 QRfr GNP a r 6 limited to'the' exemplary :conl 5 V defind'inclaiml and wherein '7 a i sa flange i d e a ns 1 3 9m correspondingT- edges i I h saidiiicket"adapted l jr ne s s dl iss 1 

